Malaysia needs to consider those with disabilities in its development efforts, government Minister says

From The Borneo Post:

KUCHING, Malaysia -- It is high time for every community to take serious account of issues pertaining to disabled people.

Currently, there is a tendency to leave disability issues to be addressed only by the relevant authorities such as the Health and Welfare departments.

Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department Datin Fatimah Abdullah stressed that the nation must now ensure that all development efforts include the needs and well-being of those with disabilities.

Officiating at the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) ‘International Conference Perspectives On Inclusive Development Embracing Diversity and Creating Disability-Sensitive Communities’ at Hilton Hotel yesterday, she said: “Our goal today is to change the mindset of the society to accept disabled people and promote their social inclusion, meaning that they ought to be given opportunities to participate in community life.”

For example, although building designs and transport system were gradually improving in catering to the needs of the disabled, what would give greater impact was the social environment shaped by the attitude of the people, she said.

She believes that Malaysia has made the start by signing the first stage of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol.

Associate Professor Mohd Fadzil Abdul Rahman who represented Unimas vice-chancellor Professor Dr Khairuddin Abdul Hamid, said: “The two-day conference would show how imperative it is for the able-bodied to remember the needs of those who face the challenge of living with disabilities.”

He added that the whole conference would be structured around the sharing of experience of the disabled who know what needed to be changed.

The conference was organised by Unimas Faculty of Social Sciences together with the Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) Research Institute of Health and Social Change, United Kingdom with the broad aim of mainstreaming disability issues into development agenda.

It also aimed at facilitating the establishment of effective and sustainable partnership and collaboration within and across countries to advance inclusive development.

Associate Professor Dr Ling How Kee stated that the topics to be deliberated included ‘Disability and inclusive Development’, ‘Social Policy and Legislation’, ‘Accessibility and Barrier-free Environment’, ‘Advocacy and Disability Rights’, ‘Voices of the Caregivers’, Integrated or Inclusive?’, ‘Empowering Women’, ‘Technology and ICT to Promote Disability Development’ and ‘Promoting Disability Sensitive Communities for all’.

Altogether, 30 papers would be presented by representatives of organisations of disabled persons, academics, government officials and policy makers, some of whom are from the United Kingdom, Japan, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Australia.

British Council’s for Higher Education Regional Director (East Asia) Peter Clark, MMU’s Psychology and Disability Studies Professor Dr Dan Goodley and Unimas Faculty of Social Sciences dean Associate Professor Dr Spencer Empading Sanggin were also present.